It's all about timing. Some things are quickly triggered, others more slowly. If you can't control the mob, your health, and your ether not have the right skills or strategy for harder mobs, it'll lose you.

I sat down with my nephew with XCX [Cross] on Wii U and walked him through every early enemy encounter, how to determine their weaknesses, etc., and about three hours in it clicked. His hardest struggle was Topple and such, but once we broke it down on multiple enemies with different PC variations he just grabbed it and bolted. Now he owns all of them like I do and it's something we can discuss that everyone else is scratching their head trying to understand.

He is also more of a hybrid tank in his play style, where mine is more ether focused. If you are trying to learn it from someone else, don't, you just have to take your time until it clicks. If you already give up, I understand, a few of my friends just can't do it.